cordiality. In fact, we are to depend on her and Russia for the
establishment of neutral rights by the treaty of peace, among which
should be that of taking no persons by a belligerent out of a neutral
ship, unless they be the soldiers of an enemy. Never did a nation
act towards another with more perfidy and injustice than Spain has
constantly practised against us: and if we have kept our hands off of
her till now, it has been purely out of respect to France, and from the
value we set on the friendship of France. We expect, therefore, from
the friendship of the Emperor, that he will either compel Spain to do us
justice, or abandon her to us. We ask but one month to be in possession
of the city of Mexico.

No better proof of the good faith of the United States could have
been given, than the vigor with which we have acted, and the expense
incurred, in suppressing the enterprise meditated lately by Burr against
Mexico. Although at first he proposed a separation of the western
country, and on that ground received encouragement and aid from Yrujo,
according to the usual spirit of his government towards us, yet he very
early saw that the fidelity of the western country was not to be
shaken, and turned himself wholly towards Mexico. And so popular is an
enterprise on that country in this, that we had only to lie still, and
he would have had followers enough to have been in the city of Mexico
in six weeks. You have doubtless seen my several messages to Congress,
which gave a faithful narrative of that conspiracy. Burr himself, after
being disarmed by our endeavors of all his followers, escaped from the
custody of the court of Mississippi, but was taken near Fort Stoddart,
making his way to Mobile, by some country people, who brought him on
as a prisoner to Richmond, where he is now under a course for trial.
Hitherto we have believed our law to be, that suspicion on probable
grounds was sufficient cause to commit a person for trial, allowing time